Chapel Of S. Pedro De Balsemão

The Chapel of São Pedro de Balsemão is as relevant to the Portuguese art scene as its chronology is problematic. While some authors claim that it is Visigothic, others point to a chronology close to the time of the Reconquista. Now part of a 17th-century manor house, its interior contains construction techniques from Iberian Mozarabic architecture, testimonies from the 10th century, as well as evidence of the Roman presence on the site, clearly visible in the various inscribed stones reused in the construction of the chapel's walls. Three naves, followed by several round arches, also house the tomb of D. Afonso Pires, Bishop of Porto, who chose this chapel for his burial in the 14th century and carried out major renovations here, although apart from the tomb, there are no unequivocal traces of this renovation. It was certainly incorporated into the Solar dos Coutinhos in 1643 by Luís Pinto de Sousa Coutinho, and in the 17th century he was largely responsible for its current appearance. Although its initial chronology is far from certain, the importance of this rare National Monument is indisputable.